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August 2006

August 11th 2006

Trade Unions call for Middle East peace, oppose US, British & Israeli Government Policy

Workers' organisations in Britain and around the world have condemned the Israeli aggresssion in Lebanon and Palestine. We publish here a selection of trade union statements.

T&G (Scotland)

T&G Scotland has applauded the decision by T&G member Jim Sheridan MP [Member of the UK Parliament], who represents Paisley and Renfrewshire North, to resign his position as a parliamentary private secretary to the defence team in protest at government policy on the Middle East.

Regional secretary, Mike Brider said: "The decision by Jim Sheridan MP to resign his position as a parliamentary private secretary to the defence team is a bold and principled stance. The Transport and General Workers' Union strongly supports his stance which reflects the widespread feeling within the Labour movement; and the country."

"We are supporting those calls for the government to back an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon. The failure to do so is causing major ramifications for peace and stability throughout the Middle East; and is further undermining the standing of Britain in the world."
 
"It is time for other Labour members of parliament to stand up and be counted so we can ensure an end to the conflict."

T&G Scotland is also supporting the efforts by MPs to recall Parliament to discuss the Lebanon crisis.

For further information contact Andrew Brady (abrady@tgwu.org.uk) or Nicola Morris (nmorris@tgwu.org.uk) on 0845 345 0141.

 

RMT (Britain)

“The number-one international priority is to stop the mass slaughter of innocent people,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

“The unrelenting indiscriminate bombardment of civilians is a crime against humanity, which has been given tacit approval by the shameful silence of both the British and US governments.

“Allowing the use of Prestwick or any other UK airport to airlift weapons of mass destruction to Israel in the midst of the carnage gives the lie to the pretence that the British government is somehow seeking a ‘diplomatic solution’.

“While the rest of the world has condemned the bombing of southern Lebanon, Bush is sending Israel more weapons of mass destruction and Blair is standing by in criminal complicity.

“The world is demanding an immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” Bob Crow said.

RMT EMERGENCY MOTION TO ITF CONGRESS:

Congress condemns the continuing violence in the Middle East and Israel’s continued assault on the Lebanese people. Congress condemns Israel’s refusals to support a ceasefire and is appalled at the unfolding tragedy of loss of life and human suffering and the destruction of Lebanon since the start of the conflict on 12th July.

Congress also condemns the US and UK Government for failing to support calls for an immediate ceasefire and believes that they are increasingly isolated from world opinion.

Congress further condemns the US and UK Governments for using Prestwick Airport, in Scotland, to assist US planes carrying bombs to Israel

Congress pays tribute to the members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and all transport workers supporting the humanitarian effort in Lebanon.

Congress agrees to work with the UN and international community to ensure immediate humanitarian aid reaches Lebanon and for the release of all prisoners seized during the conflict.

Finally Congress believes lasting peace will only be ensured in the Middle East through the implementation UN resolutions requiring Israel’s withdrawal from the territories it illegally occupied in 1967 and a two state solution for Israel and Palestine.

 

UNISON (Britain)

General Secretary Dave Prentis [has] voiced the union’s feelings about the “humanitarian catastrophe” and urged [British Members of Parliament] to put pressure on Tony Blair “to make an unequivocal call for an immediate ceasefire” between Israel and Hezbollah.

“To many of our members, our failure to do this in recent weeks has put at risk the moral authority of our Labour government both at home and abroad,” he wrote.

“It is widely perceived that our apparent inaction has undermined international efforts to halt the violence and isolated us from key European and Muslim world allies.

“The deaths of innocent women, children and men, and Israel’s latest declaration that they now intend to widen their ground offensive against Lebanon, make the case for speaking out for an immediate ceasefire even more pressing.”

He said that UNISON members the breadth of the country had contacted him to express their horror.

“They spend their lives caring for others, helping the vulnerable, building safe and healthy communities. They are appalled at the scenes of despair and destruction, as entire villages and communities are destroyed.”

Word Federation of Trade Unions, Asia-Pacific Regional Office, New Delhi:

 
We condemn the barbaric and inhuman  attack by Israel on Lebanon for the last several days. In the name of so-called self defence, wanton terrorism and destruction of property, killing several hundred of innocent people including the children is unleashed by Israel. It is  evidently clear that the US imperialism is at the back of  Israel, not wanting to condemn or put an end to the Israel’s uncivilized attack on Lebanon.

The working class and patriotic forces  in the continents of Asia-and Pacific are with the people of Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and the Arab World in this hours of crisis.  The Message of the  WFTU H.Qrs. as well as from the Asia-Pacific office has been sent  all over the region to  all  our affiliated  and friendly organisations  and many of them have responded in support of the people of Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Arab World. Our Journal  “Flashes from WFTU”  published from New Delhi (India) covering the solidarity messages has been extensively published in the region.

We strongly condemn the warmongers and the imperialists and supporting them. We urge upon the United Nations and the ILO and other world    bodies    to act with responsibility and speedily,   not only inroder to  put an end to the aggression by Israel but  also to render all assistances, particularly  to the affected people in Lebanon several thousands of  whom have gone out of  Lebanon, including several thousands of migrant labour from India and other Asian  countries.

We call upon the trade unions world over to express their solidarity with the working class  of the  Lebanon  and the Middle-East.

We call upon the developing countries and the  non-aligned movement to rise on the occasion and to bring pressure on Israel to put and end to the aggressive invasion.

Trades Union International of Workers in the Building, Wood and Building Materials Industries (UITBB):

The Israeli government, led by Ehoud Olmert, has decided to pursue the murderous invasion of southern Lebanon mainly thanks to the total backing of the US Administration, but also because of the tacit complicity of many European Union countries whose foreign ministers, at the Council’s 1^st August meeting, were not able to reach agreement on the urgent need for a ceasefire and the unconditional withdrawal of the Israeli aggressor. 

This criminal war launched against Lebanon and its people by the Israeli government (made up of the Kadima and Labour Parties) is just another aspect of the war waged against the Palestinian people over the last 40 years by various Israeli governments, and currently in the Gaza Strip, in order to wipe out all resistance to their plans to colonise and dominate the region. 

Armed and financed by the United States, the Israeli government has decided to use every military means available (even if it means setting the whole region ablaze): daily raids and incursions into Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, targeted assassinations of ministers and elected leaders, massacres of civilians (as in Qana), systematic destruction of Lebanon’s and Palestine’s economic infrastructures, eviction of Palestinians from their land and homes, economic blockade of Palestinian enclaves in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, construction of the wall, total disregard of decisions of the international community and international law, and so on…

Civilian victims, Lebanese and Palestinian workers, can be counted in tens of thousands, and yet the international community, including the European Union, is not taking the necessary steps to put an end to the massacre.

In view of the tragedy striking the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples and the criminal complicity of the chief world powers which have the necessary means of halting the aggressor, the Trades Union International of Workers in the Building, Wood and Building Materials Industries (UITBB) calls urgently on all national and international trades unions to demonstrate, demanding that their governments urge the unequivocal condemnation of the Israeli aggressor, the announcement of an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional withdrawal of Israeli forces, before war engulfs the whole region. 

The UITBB urges the international community, and particularly the United Nations, to make Israeli leaders face up to their responsibility for the death of thousands and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians, acts which amount to war crimes. 

The Israeli government’s policy of occupation, bombing and aggression threatens the security of all the peoples of the Middle East. Their security can only be guaranteed by the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers and the start of negotiations for a just and lasting peace.

The UITBB calls on all trades unions to provide humanitarian and material aid to the Lebanese workers. They can contribute by paying into the solidarity account opened by the Lebanese national trades union federation FENASOL at:    

Bank:                BLOM BANK. Agency Jnah

Account No:      03601304.92135.1

Telephone:        + 9611816165; + 9613783840

E-mail:              fenasol@hotmail.com; fenasol@gmail.com; naqabat_bina@hotmail.com

Now is the time to offer moral and practical support to the workers and people of Lebanon and Palestine who are standing up to occupation!

Now is the time for international solidarity from workers of the world to halt the Israeli aggressor and thwart the plans of US imperialism!